This invention relates to a confectionery composition, to a method of making the confectionery composition and to the use of the composition as a filling in a confectionery product or a bakery product.
Many confectionery products such as chocolate and chocolate-like products contain triglyceride fats. The fats impart beneficial textural and organoleptic properties to the products. For example, the flavour release and cool taste of chocolate is at least partly due to the melting profile of the triglyceride fats that it contains.
There have been concerns for health reasons about diets that are high in saturated fats. Principally, the concerns are about the increased risk of raised cholesterol levels and cardiovascular problems. As a result of these concerns and due to the perceived benefits of polyunsaturated fatty acids in the diet, certain bodies have recommended replacing saturated fatty acids in the diet by polyunsaturated fatty acids.
Triglyceride fats containing saturated fatty acids generally have higher melting points than the corresponding triglycerides containing polyunsaturated fatty acids. The hardness of the saturated fats at room temperature contributes to their benefits as structural fats. For example, hardstock fats for margarines need to have a significant solids content at room temperature, otherwise the margarine is too runny. The same considerations apply to many confectionery products. Therefore, it is not a trivial matter to replace saturated fats by polyunsaturated fats because a straight substitution of the fats is likely to lead to a product which is unacceptable to the consumer and which may be difficult or even impossible to produce.
EP-A-0824869 relates to bloom inhibiting fat blends based on H2M- and M2H-type triglycerides, where H is saturated fatty acid having at least 16 carbon atoms and M is saturated fatty acid having 8 to 14 carbon atoms. The aim of the blends is to inhibit bloom. Similarly, EP-A-0612478 discloses fats that are added to cocoa butter at levels of 5 to 30%. The additives are intended to shorten tempering time and reduce bloom.
WO 96/10338 relates to flexible ice cream coatings. The fats aim to overcome the brittleness problems of some prior art ice cream coatings, whilst remaining easy to apply to ice cream.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,843,497 discloses fat blends that are beneficial for cholesterol levels and for increasing HDL and the HDL/LDL ratio. The fat blends contain 15 to 40% linoleic acid.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,874,117 discloses blends of palm fat and corn oil as shortenings for baking or frying. U.S. Pat. No. 5,472,727 relates to whippable, water-continuous fat emulsions containing lower levels of saturated fat. Neither document relates to confectionery products.
EP-A-1719412 discloses a pre-mix for bakery products comprising a shortening.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,762,990 describes a fat composition for a nut filling comprising 35-60% by weight StOSt.